Kane County’s tax levy will be $55,051,513. The increase is 1.3 percent over the previous year and is offset by additional property tax revenue generated by new construction and expiring tax increment financing districts.

Cuts were necessary primarily because of declining revenues in a number of categories, such as fees and fines collected on court services, bond fees and foreclosures, Kane County Finance Director Joe Onzick said.

Kane County has held the line on its property tax levy since 2011. The property tax levy for 2016 included a .85 percent increase that also took into account new construction and expiring TIF districts.

“The Finance Committee was tasked with creating a balanced budget,” Finance Committee Chair John Hoschiet said during Tuesday’s board meeting. “After 10 or 12 public meetings and countless others with elected officials, it’s time to come to a resolution and move forward with this. The budget is not perfect, but it was our best attempt to live within our means.”

Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen commended all the department heads, elected officials and County Board members who had to make hard decisions about the budget cuts.

“I’m deeply grateful to the hundreds of people who worked hard and smart over the past three months to come to the ultimate consensus conclusion,” he said. “Property taxpayers have been protected as well as our future ability to address when bad times come. How unusual that any government these days can make the sacrifice of reducing spending across all agencies, without exception, by 3.64 percent.”

Kane County Property Tax Levies

SOURCE: Kane Count Board packet